Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been recognized once again as a top U.S. cancer institution, based on a review of its research programs. This evaluation resulted in a nearly perfect score, earning Siteman the highest possible rating — exceptional — by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Siteman is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Missouri and in southern Illinois. The cancer center is known for its leadership, cutting-edge research and focus on turning scientific discoveries into innovative cancer treatments.
“We are pleased with the work that has earned Siteman its national and international reputation,” said Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, Siteman’s director and the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Surgery at the School of Medicine. “This is recognition of the impact we have had on our patients, helping to develop innovative treatments that are making a difference in their lives. We are here to provide hope for them.”
As an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Siteman is expected to be a major researcher into the causes, prevention and early detection of and treatments for cancer, and to share these findings so other health-care institutions also might implement them to improve the overall health of the population. These efforts include a focus on basic science, which is the search for foundational knowledge about cancer risk and therapies, and on clinical research such as clinical trials designed to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative cancer therapies.
“Our Washington University researchers have been at the forefront of discoveries that have advanced the understanding or changed the course of treatment for a variety of cancers,” said John F. DiPersio, MD, PhD, Siteman’s deputy director and the Virginia E. and Samuel J. Golman Endowed Professor of Oncology and director of the Division of Oncology at the School of Medicine. “Along with our commitment to basic, translational and clinical research, we have trained countless scientists, physicians and fellows who have gone on to become leaders in their fields of interest and leaders of research here and at other major cancer centers around the world.”
